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Darin Olson, D.M.A., is the new director of Athletic Bands at ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½. He leads the Marching Golden Flashes, Flasher Brass Pep Band, Kent Symphony Band and University Band. Olson is currently an active member of College Band Directors National Association and the National Association for Music Education. Learn more about Olson and his plans for his future at ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ as he answers these 10 questions.

It would not be surprising if you have a social media app open right now; however, you may not be getting the enjoyment out of it that you think you are. In a recent publication in Computers in Human Behavior, two ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ professors examined the relationship between social media usage and boredom. Students may be surprised by the results and parents might be excited by them.

When Curtis Cofojohn returned to ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ after serving in the Army, he faced an issue many college students do: where was he going to live? Cofojohn’s own experiences with off-campus housing led him to create a website solution that serves the needs of both students and landlords, during the pandemic.

ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ has won a Best in Class award for supplier diversity from the Greater Cleveland Partnership. This marks the third time that the university has received this award. As a multiyear winner of the Best in Class awards, ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ is also named to the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s Equity and Inclusion Hall of Fame.

Two ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ sociology researchers are moving toward gaining insight into how people’s brains react in a variety of threatening situations using innovative virtual reality (VR) technology funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Army. Josh Pollock and William Kalkhoff, both in the Department of Sociology & Criminology, are leading the research projects, which will benefit the Army, ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ students and others.

The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2020 includes alumnus David C. Lange, BA ‘75, who, following his freshman year at ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½, entered the U.S. Navy and returned to ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ after his military discharge to major in journalism. His graduation led to a 40-year newspaper career and numerous years as an advocate for veterans in Ohio.

Black lives and Black cultures have been underrepresented and discriminated against for many years. TEXTURES: The History and Art of Black Hair is an exhibition coming to the ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ Museum in 2021 with the help of significant sponsorship from corporate and federal funding that focuses on celebrating and empowering these lives and cultures.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted everyday life for everyone. For some, it’s minor. For others, it’s catastrophic. At the ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ at Geauga Campus, economic hardships caused by the pandemic have threatened to derail many students’ academic plans and their hopes for a better future. Recognizing that dozens of students face similar situations, ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ Geauga has established an Emergency Relief Fund to provide a stopgap for them to continue on with their studies.

Kendra Minichello has just begun her sophomore year at ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½. Her mother, Stacie Minichello graduated from the university in 1995. Over the summer, Kendra and Stacie were happy to answer questions about their ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ experiences and share how attending ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ is a tradition in their family.

The progression and growth of downtown Cleveland continues as the grand opening of The Lumen building reflects the historic beauty of the city. Terry Schwarz, director of the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative (CUDC) at ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½, spoke with News 5 Cleveland about the excitement surrounding the construction of the building and the impact it will have on downtown, despite the pandemic. 

The ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ Board of Trustees has approved a new three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement between the university and the ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ Employees Local 153, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Climate change can now be measured on a global scale using multiple weather variables, according to new research published by Cameron C. Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Geography at ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½.

ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ is proud to announce its 2020 Alumni Award recipients. Recipients are chosen based on their exceptional contributions in their chosen profession, in their communities and at ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½. Sponsored by the alumni association, the Alumni Awards are the university’s most prestigious honors given to alumni.

ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½â€™s David Costello is passionate about identifying what trace metals lie within Northeast Ohio’s streams and what the effects of these metals are on the surrounding environment. Costello, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, received a $718,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study these important trace metals. The grant is awarded as part of the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program.

Sara Koopman, Ph.D., assistant professor of ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½â€™s School of Peace and Conflict Studies, spoke with WKYC on how modern technology has changed how protests are organized compared to how they were in the 50’s and 60’s civil rights movements.

A recent article from The New York Times explored the lack of diversity in fashion museums across the world. Placing ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ among the top fashion institutions in the world, the article featured museum Director Sarah Rogers and her efforts to create an inclusive and diverse collection in the museum.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has selected two ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ College of Arts and Sciences faculty members, along with two community clinicians, for , an initiative that will provide funding and leadership training to the four team members. Their plan is to implement a project that will help veterinary professionals in Northeast Ohio address mental health stigmas they experience in their lives and provide usable techniques that can be incorporated into their veterinary practices.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most universities across the United States transitioned from face-to-face classes to remote learning, closed campuses and sent students home this past spring. Recently, a group of ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ researchers sought to examine the impact of these pandemic-related changes upon physical activity and sedentary behavior, specifically sitting, across the university population. 

Senior finance student Anne Ritts has built an outstanding resume during her time at ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½, but with a full-time job already lined up for her after graduation, she will not have to worry about updating it any time soon. In her first three years here, Ritts has maintained membership in multiple finance organizations and a sorority, studied abroad, changed her major, and held multiple internships. Ritts’ next adventure will begin this summer in her career with PNC Bank in Charlotte, North Carolina.

For nearly 110 years, Mercy Health has addressed the growing needs of the Mahoning Valley, which includes the city of Warren and its surrounding communities. Mercy Health has been evaluating ways to meet the increasing healthcare needs of those living in Trumbull County, delivering on its promise of providing care when and where people live and work. As part of this commitment, Mercy Health has announced the future development of land adjacent to the ÇàÄêɬµ¼º½ at Trumbull Campus.